How does your church or church family disciple children?
How does your church or Church family disciple the children to follow and live for Jesus?
Are they segregated from the worship crowd?
How often are they with their family together in worship?
Does your Christ family insist that parents disciple their own children?
What does your gathering time look like for the kids?
When do your children "first" partake of communion?
Is it really good for our children not to be present during our worship together with the entire Christ community?
What say you?
posted by Bob Carder @ 9:59 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
I would simply ask the question, "Why is it so hard for us to BE with our children more?" The church has been wonderful at doing things for them and giving things to them, but is that what they need? They need adults to BE with them, playing with them, asking them questions, teaching them, learning from them. Of course that would force us to lay aside many of our own interests from time to time. Ouch! Now we're talkin'! I think BEING with children can happen in various types of creative ways that might include situations in homes, playgrounds, and yes...probably...at times...in church building walls.
A compromise between what's best and what reaches a largely non-churched culture is necessary. While the family is our main emphasis at New Foundation, we find that folk coming to church want, and need, kids' ministries! Sometimes it's just because they don't know how to handle their own kids! (we provide training)
So while we have a complete discipling ministry for kids, and a kids' pastor on board, we still try to emphasize the whole family unit. Our families all worship together on the first Sunday of each month. It's an important, example-setting time.
Our parents are given "helps" to connect with what their kids learn in the separate kids' ministry. It's designed to help the kids tell what they've learned and to help parents reinforce (disciple) what the kids learn. We teach: "OUR KIDS ARE OUR FIRST LINE OF DISCIPLESHIP!" Check out 3 John 4 and loosely apply it here!
Our kids join us in communion on occasion. We teach they must have asked Jesus to forgive their sin and be their Savior and Boss! Occassionally the kids may partake of communion in their ministry setting as well. "First communion" should be only after a child sincerely is "saved!" Thus, ages differ.
The whole kids' ministry is designed to teach and disciple at the appropriate age level, and provide as extensive Bible knowledge as possible. Sharing with others (evangelism & disicpleship) is an important part of both kids' and adults' ministries.
Teaching families how to be a family modeled on biblical teaching and example is tough these days! While many do not have a Christian heritage in the family, we encourage all that they can start one!
We have a saying we often use: "PASSING ON A GODLY HERITAGE AT ALL COST!" This can't be done by segregating age groups constantly within the church. Ther must be some meaningful integration of the entire family!
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